- A new case of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 re-infection by a phylogenetically distinct strain was shared, prompting discussion that COVID-19 may become endemic like influenza and that mask-wearing could be a permanent fixture of daily life.  
- The EmDrive controversy resurfaced when lsneff linked to an article titled “The EmDrive Just Won’t Die,” highlighting the persistence of the propellant-less thruster claim despite mainstream skepticism.  
- Quantized Inertia (QI) theory was introduced as an alternative propulsion concept; participants noted that a loop-shaped test rig might be easier to validate experimentally than earlier cavity designs.  
- kanzure posted a collection of new transcripts and resources, including Greg Maxwell on Liquid’s censorship resistance and the CHECKMULTISIG bug, plus Fabian Jahr’s talk on Bitcoin Core’s functional test framework.  
- A link to the 2020 iGEM Global Meet-up replay was shared, offering access to synthetic-biology project presentations and open-source bioengineering discussions.  
- kanzure also circulated the Yubico announcement of the YubiKey 5C NFC, prompting criticism from L29Ah that closed-source security hardware is inherently less trustworthy.  
- A call for a new maintainer was issued for pdfparanoia, a tool that strips watermarking and tracking metadata from academic PDFs, to address an open GitHub issue.  
- Participants brainstormed low-tech atmospheric water harvesting: fenn proposed a rolling plastic-film dew collector, while nmz787 suggested passive air flow through buried tubes to exploit temperature and humidity gradients.  
- The ancient Persian qanat underground irrigation system was cited as historical precedent for large-scale, passive water-management engineering.